James went by his nickname of Chuck. He spent a number of years in Midland and attended Midland schools. He attended Midland High School and after the death of his father, his mother moved to Idabel, Oklahoma where James graduated from high school. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in February 1968 and completed basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana and then attended truck-driving school at Fort Eustis, Virginia.

He started his tour in Vietnam on September 14, 1968 and was assigned as a truck driver with the 523rd Transportation Company, 44th Transportation Group, 1st Log Command, Vietnam. His unit operated in convoys delivering supplies and ordinance to military outposts. These convoys were constantly being ambushed. As a means to provide additional support, the truck drivers developed a concept to where they equipped several trucks in each company with added armor and weaponry to assist in the event of an ambush. These trucks became known as Gun Trucks. Through the imagination and ingenuity of these soldiers, these gun trucks became formidable fighting machines, as they were equipped with miniguns, quad 50 machine guns and other heavy weapons. When a convoy would be ambushed, these trucks would move into the KIll Zone and would set up a defensive area to counter and repel any aggressors.

Crew of Corps Revenge-January 1969

Chuck in Vietnam 1969

Those who served on gun trucks were volunteers among the drivers. Specialist Pulley became one of these personnel. He served as a gunner/driver and served on a truck with the name of “Corp’s Revenge.” During his time in Vietnam, he was involved in many ambushes and served honorably and with valor. On June 13, 1969, while driving in a convoy formation, the truck in front was hit by rocket. The truck was hauling artillery armament. The truck disintegrated. Specialist Pulley's truck was hit by rocket fire and machine gun and small arms fire when the ambush was sprung (See below picture). Specialist Pulley received shrapnel and small arms wounds. He was medivaced and died from his wounds the following day. The body of the driver of the lead truck who received the direct hit was never found.

Truck that Sp4 Pulley was driving when he was medevaced and died from his wounds-June 1969

Specialist Pulley was buried with full military honors in the Dennison Cemetery near Idabel, Oklahoma, his hometown.